By Bosse                                                H.R. No. 71
         76R4701 BE-D                           
                                 R E S O L U T I O N
 1-1           WHEREAS,  After nearly a decade in office, Baytown City
 1-2     Manager Bobby Rountree is retiring, and the achievements of this
 1-3     admired and respected city leader have benefited countless Texans
 1-4     and are  justly worthy of special legislative recognition; and
 1-5           WHEREAS, A Central Texas native, Mr. Rountree earned a
 1-6     bachelor's degree from Texas Tech University after graduating from
 1-7     Goldthwaite High School; he began his career in city government
 1-8     with the Lubbock Parks and Recreation Department in 1972 and was
 1-9     hired by the Baytown Parks and Recreation Department later that
1-10     same year; and
1-11           WHEREAS, In 1975 he was named director of parks and
1-12     recreation, a post he held for more than 10 years; after a
1-13     three-year stint as assistant city manager, he was appointed acting
1-14     city manager in May 1989; and
1-15           WHEREAS, After only five months on the job, it became
1-16     apparent that there was no better candidate for the position than
1-17     Mr. Rountree, whose well-known reputation for ability and integrity
1-18     perfectly suited Baytown's governmental needs, and on October 6,
1-19     1989, the city council promoted him to city manager; and
1-20           WHEREAS, During his tenure, Mr. Rountree oversaw a host of
1-21     community improvement projects that positively affected the city
1-22     and the citizens of Baytown, including passage of a $53 million
1-23     bond issue that paved streets, improved water and sewer services,
1-24     and expanded the library and police department; and
 2-1           WHEREAS, From the establishment of economic development plans
 2-2     and enterprise zones to the implementation of quality-of-life
 2-3     strategies to improve the environment and public transportation,
 2-4     Mr. Rountree accomplished a  tremendous amount in behalf of the
 2-5     public during his nine years of service as city manager; and
 2-6           WHEREAS, Although Mr. Rountree and his beloved wife, Jana,
 2-7     plan to return to Goldthwaite, where both still have family and
 2-8     many ties, his retirement will include continued service in
 2-9     community leadership; he will join his brother's electrical and
2-10     air-conditioning company and lend a hand on his parents' ranch,
2-11     while also volunteering his experience and insight into city
2-12     governance to short-handed communities in the area; and
2-13           WHEREAS, Mr. Rountree's singular dedication to hard work, his
2-14     commitment to forthright and honest dialogue, and his good sense
2-15     and good humor will serve him well in the future and will be deeply
2-16     missed by the citizens of Baytown, for Bobby Rountree is an
2-17     effective and exemplary leader, and it is indeed fitting to
2-18     recognize this esteemed Texan at such an important juncture in his
2-19     life; now, therefore, be it
2-20           RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 76th Texas
2-21     Legislature hereby congratulate Bobby Rountree on his retirement
2-22     and commend him for his many years of outstanding service to the
2-23     city of Baytown; and, be it further
2-24           RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be
2-25     prepared for Mr. Rountree as an expression of high regard by the
2-26     Texas House of Representatives.